Altdörfer - the Alexander Battle

Alexanderbattle by Altdörfer 1529

The Alexander Battle by Altdörfer (Alte Pinakothek) is an amazing description of not only how battles were waged, but also about how irrational can be perceived the movement of individuals and groups within the overall complexity of war. While it is clear that Alexander the Great will win the battle as indicated by a Tableau hanging like a decree over the entire scene, that is anything but clear to the individual soldiers just following their commander and flag. It is an interesting comment about conflicts which seem to emerge men and women in all kinds of confusions or even directly in chaotic relationships while the painter indicates already an emerging pattern. That pattern stands above some of the decisive turning points Stefan Zweig accounted for in his stories about the fall of Constantinople or how Waterloo defeated Napolean. As a pattern foretells the definite outcome, it equates with the statement not how a conflict or war started, counts, but what is the outcome, the result and in brief who is the victorias party which carries away the highest prize. Again that prize may be the power to determine under which laws mankind shall live as then the determining factors will have decided whether strict compliance or else a spirited openness may prevail. These alternatives Derrida would himself criticize as being too polar to come anywhere closer to the truth. Thus he may have engaged himself in some hidden dimensions if found to be standing in front of this painting by Alterdörfer. Again it is a matter of mutation of thoughts until the interpretation reflects as well what role historical paintings played at that time. For there existed an overall censorship which was only broken up by the arrival of the Impressionists who claimed that there are other subjects worthy to be painted aside from portraits, historical paintings and religious themes.